COVID-19 Information for Staff

Fall 2021 Updates

When will GSD staff be expected to report back to the campus?

At the GSD, many staff will continue to work remotely while many others will return to campus or work a hybrid schedule. Our managers have completed re-entry plans for each of their departments. GSD staff will begin transitioning back to campus in a phased approach starting in August and the specific plans will be communicated to you by your manager or department head.

What do I need to do before I return to campus?

Submit your vaccination record to Harvard University Health Services at their secure Verify your Vaccine website.
Visit the University Return to Campus website for the most up-to-date info to plan for your return.
Activate your testing account in COLOR
Log in to Crimson Clear to check their testing cadence
Submit Part A of the Flexwork Proposal Form to your manager and HR for approval.
Recommend that staff take the COVID-19 Safety Awareness Training →

What measures are in place to ensure a safe & healthy campus environment?

All staff, students and faculty will be required to follow Harvard guidelines for on-campus gatherings, in order to help ensure we are keeping our community safe. Among those requirements is the following:

COVID-19 Vaccinations: As previously announced, the University is requiring that every person with an on-campus presence be vaccinated, with exemptions permitted only by submission of a formal request, for medical or religious reasons. If you have not done so, please verify your vaccination status as soon as possible using the HUHS secure portal.
Face Masks: The current guidance from the University is that masks will be required for everyone indoors, regardless of vaccination status. Outdoors, unvaccinated individuals are still expected to wear masks if they cannot maintain distance from others. Vaccinated individuals are not required to wear masks outdoors, but all community members are expected to have masks with them at all times, to ensure compliance with the indoor masking requirements across the GSD and University campuses. For more information, please refer to the University Covid-19 Information website.

Will testing be required?

Regular COVID-19 testing will be required for anyone planning to be on campus regularly, using easy, self-administered tests provided by the University. The frequency of testing will depend on factors including whether you live on or off campus, your vaccination status, and whether your campus presence is “regular” or “infrequent” (Infrequent campus presence is 1x/month or less).

Regardless of vaccination status, everyone will be expected to be tested 1x/week for 2 weeks upon arrival. After the initial two-week period you will be expected to test per the University testing guidelines.

Test kits are available in the vestibule of Gund Hall, and tests can be dropped at a drop-bin at the Science Center. Staff returning to campus will be able to find their testing frequency requirements by logging into Crimson Clear and you will manage your results through your own COLOR account. Staff on campus will receive regular text and email notifications reminding you of your next testing day.

Should I come to campus if I’m not feeling well?

Staff who feel sick should stay home and notify their manager. Harvard’s temporary policies that allow for expanded and more flexible use of sick time by staff will remain in effect until December 31, 2021. Additionally, you should not come to campus if you are caring for someone with a presumed or confirmed case of COVID-19.

For more detailed information on Harvard’s health and safety efforts, please visit the University’s COVID-19 Vaccine Information page and the Health & Wellbeing page. You also should feel free to reach out to your manager and to Human Resources staff with any additional questions.

What is the policy on consuming food in the building?

Food will be allowed to be consumed inside GSD campus buildings according to the criteria below, which Harvard Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) have vetted after further assessment of GSD campus buildings.

Consuming food at desks and personal workspaces (including cubicles and other types of shared workspaces) will be permitted, provided that there is at least six feet between you and other persons and that face coverings are promptly donned when approached by anyone. Masks must be worn while one is not actively eating.
You must have consent from anyone sitting or located at an adjacent desk or workspace.
For those who can’t eat at their desks or personal workspaces on account of space constraints or because their neighbors do not consent, a few common spaces will be made available for eating: Chauhaus, room 1H in 40 Kirkland, room 1E in 42 Kirkland, and outdoor heated spaces. Anyone without an assigned desk or personal workspace can also make use of these spaces. To ensure that these spaces are available to those who need them, there is a 15-minute time limit on their use.
Consumption of food remains prohibited in all other shared spaces, including classrooms, the Loeb Library, and lounges.
The “quick sip” rule for consuming beverages remains in effect for wherever drinks are otherwise not ordinarily prohibited. If you are taking a sip from a beverage, lower your mask to take a sip and then replace it.

If you would like to report incidents of food consumption that don’t meet the criteria above, please send a note to SafeDining@GSD.harvard.edu. Please only send a brief description of the incident, including day, time, and location, and do not include individuals.’ names, since these reports are only being used for ascertaining the success of this program.